Solo Support Services Ltd

People's experience of using the service People told us they felt safe, where allegations of abuse had occurred the service had responded appropriately to ensure people were safe. Care plans and risk assessments guided staff to support people's complex health needs safely. Medicines were managed safely and complex medicine regimes had clear guidance in place for staff. The service followed good infection control procedures.

The majority of people at the service had staff support at all times. These staff teams were recruited to meet people's individual needs, including the recruitment of family members if needed. Safe recruitment procedures were followed to ensure suitable staff were employed. Once employed, a thorough induction and training programme ensured staff were well skilled to support people's individual and complex needs.

The service was effective in the way it supported people. People were supported in line with evidence based guidance to ensure their needs were met effectively. People were supported to have a balanced and healthy diet. Professional guidance was sought if people were at risk of weight loss or choking.

Staff worked collaboratively within the staff team, and with outside health and social care professionals. This ensured people received effective multi-agency support.

Decision specific mental capacity assessments were not always in place. This meant people may not be supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives, or that staff would support them in the least restrictive way possible. We recommended that the policies and systems in the service were reviewed to ensure mental capacity documentation was in place as required.

People and relatives told us staff were caring. Staff spoke compassionately about people. Reviews included people, to ensure that people's preferences were followed. The service followed the Equality Act (2010), by ensuring people's diverse needs were recognised and supported.

Care was personalised to people's preferences. The service used health budgets to support people to recruit staff of their choosing, the budget was then used to plan a suitable care package that met their needs. People's communication needs were recognised in line with the Accessible Information Standard (2016). People were supported to access social activities of their choosing. Where people came to the end of their

life, care plans guided safe end of life care that met the person's preferences.

The service was well led. Staff spoke positively of the management approach and leadership. Feedback from people and relatives using the service was all positive, and this was supported by questionnaire results that the service had sent out. The service had a unique approach to supporting people, by supporting people to manage their personal health budgets. This provided people with a flexible service which met their health and social needs. The service had not always notified the CQC about events that had happened at the service, but records showed the service has managed these events safely.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk